Death, Life and Pepsi
by Petchricor
Summary: Wash dies. But no one really dies here, do they? Nah


"Wash! Washington!" Tucker shoved passed the soldiers shoving him back to get to his leader who lay on the ground covered in blood. Caboose stood unmoving as he watched Tucker kneel beside the Ex-freelancer. A soldier went to grab him but Tucker shoved him back. "No! Please! Let me see him!" The Lieutenant turned to Tucker, who looked back. "Please, let me see him. I'm begging you!" After a moment of silence the Lieutenant nodded and Tucker was released to be with his leader. "Wash!" He ripped the helmet off and Wash slowly looked over at him, he gave a smile filled with pain.

"Hey," he whispered, giving a small cough. Tucker stared at Wash, tears forming in his eyes. "If you want me to tell you that it's all going to be ok, I'm not. I'm not going to lie to you." Tucker grit his teeth and he glanced over at Caboose and the others silently. After a motion from the Lieutenant they were also released, all running over instantly. All except Sarge who just stared.

"Agent Washingtub!" Caboose said with a sob. "Please, don't go! What will we do without you?" Wash sighed a bit before coughing from the action.

"He's got a point," Simmons said, trying not to cry. "What will we do? I mean, I know you haven't exactly been on the team for long but, we've kinda learned to depend on you. What will we do?"

"You will stick together," Wash told them. "That's an order." They all nodded and Wash glanced upwards as Sarge walked over. "Hey, tough guy. Come to join the party finally?" Wash tried to laugh but only managed to go into a coughing fit.

"Yeah, I figured why not? You did take care of my team. We may be captured, but we're alive," Sarge said flatly. "So, thanks I suppose." Wash chuckled.

"You're welcome," Wash told him. His eyes started to droop but he snapped them open. Tucker winced a bit, not liking that. He opened his mouth but Wash stopped him by speaking first. "No. No goodbyes. I hate goodbyes." Tucker nodded, tears streaming down his face.

"Ok," he said. "Well, how about, I'll miss you?" Wash gave a soft smile.

"I'll miss you to. All of you," Wash told them, voice becoming quieter. Caboose broke out into sobs and tears as he hugged Wash, not caring as blood stained his armor. Wash slowly put an arm around Caboose in an effort to comfort him. Tucker couldn't help it as he hugged Wash to, careful not to hurt him further. Grif and Simmons didn't budge, simply watched with tears in their eyes.

"Save a seat for me, huh? Whichever place ya go," Sarge said. Wash smiled a bit and nodded, eyes drooping closed until finally Caboose felt his chest stop moving. Caboose looked up at his face, looking peaceful.

As they were dragged away Caboose screamed in rage and sorrow, telling them to let him go and that he wanted his leader. Tucker and the others silently went into the pelican as ordered and sat down without saying anything. Caboose was sobbing in his seat. Tucker sighed and stood up, ignoring all the guns pointing at him, and sat next to Caboose. He wrapped an arm around him and Caboose cried against his shoulder the rest of the flight.

A FEW MONTHS LATER

Tucker sat at the table, eying the few ex-freelancers that were sharing a table. He had recognized Wyoming and Maine right away, Maine was more obvious on sight but once Wyoming started talking Tucker knew it was him. The other two he didn't recognize at all, South and York he think they called themselves.

York was pretty cool to talk to, they weren't best buddies with him or anything but he was tolerable at least. South was a bitch, Maine was terrifying, and Wyoming was annoying as hell. At least York could be filed under sane.

Tucker sighed. They were having a tough time here. They weren't prisoners exactly but that didn't make him feel any better. They and the ex-freelancers had a small part of the ship to themselves aside from the guards of course. They had their rooms, a rec. room, a training room, and the mess hall.

They could go wherever they wanted on this small part of the ship but nowhere else unless the Captain said so. They also couldn't fight or they'd be sent to the brig for a few days. That happened whenever anyone broke a rule. So far the ex-freelancers had broken more rules that Tucker and the others hand. Though they had gotten into a few fights from time to time, but that couldn't be avoided really when you know both teams' history.

Tucker looked up and his fork fell into his food as he saw a girl walk up to them. She wore an aqua tank top and she leaned against the table with a smirk that was positively sexy. Tucker stared and-wait. Aqua?

"So, kill any assholes lately?" Caboose gave a happy gasp and lept from his seat.

"CAROLINA!" he shouted in glee as he nearly knocked her over with a hug. The ex-freelancers all looked over with looks of pure shock on their faces. "It's so good to see you! You wanna sit at our table? We have plenty of ro-hello agent Yoke!" Tucker snickered as he mispronounced the name. Carolina looked over at him and he smiled.

"Hey there, 'Lina," he said, his smile nervous. Tucker looked between the two in their silence and grinned the biggest grin ever. Of all time. "I thought you died?"

"I thought you died," she replied.

"Ok, we seriously need to stop saying that," Grif commented. York raised a brow. "Church died, Caboose died, the Meta died, Wyoming died, Carolina died, you died, I died, Simmons died, I think pretty much everyone in this room has died at least once."

"If not more of course." Everyone jumped in their seats and turned to see Wash grinning. "Oh come on you guys! You didn't really think I died, did you?" At their silence he continued. "I'm sorry for the scare, but I had to, ok? Church and Carolina needed help and I-OOF!" Wash grunted as Tucker punched him.

"YOU ASSHOLE! How could you do that to us?!" he screamed at him. Everyone turned to look at Tucker, who had tears in his eyes. "I thought you died you fucker! I thought I was never going to see you again! How cou-mph!" Tucker was silenced as Wash brought him into a hug. Tucker tried to shove him off but it was no use, Wash was much stronger than him.

"I'm sorry, Tucker. I never wanted to leave you. But I also knew that if I let them take you I'd know exactly where to find you when we were done. I didn't tell you what was happening because I didn't want you standing around waiting for me because I didn't know when I'd be back or even if I'd be back. I'm sorry I scared you, but this was the only way," Wash told him, his voice soft and calm.

Caboose took a step forward and, after Wash gave him a smile, bolted over and hugged Wash tight. Wash smiled over at the others and soon Grif and Simmons were hugging him as well, after a few moments Doc and Donut did too. Sarge walked over and placed a hand on Wash's shoulder. Wash smirked and yanked him into the group hug.

York smiled a bit and wrapped an arm around Carolina. She smiled back and leaned against him, excepting the embrace. This lasted a few moments with the other ex-freelancers looking on in confusion. Soon everyone sat back down at their tables to eat. Though York and Carolina sat with the sim. troopers as they all shared stories. Soon South cleared her throat and they all looked over.

"Um, may I, uh...join you?" she asked, not looking up from the floor. There was silence and then Caboose and Tucker split apart.

"Sure, have a seat," Tucker said. South slowly made her way over and sat down. "South, right?" She nodded slowly. "Right, cool. You're not gonna punch me again, are ya?" South looked over at him.

"Are you gonna say 'bow chicka bow wow' again?" Tucker shrugged.

"Meh, it depends," he replied.

"Then we'll have to see," she told him, taking a bite of her food. Everyone laughed a little at that. Wyoming and Maine didn't even look over. Wash smirked.

"Hey, Maine!" Wash called. Maine looked over. "Pepsi!" Maine thought a moment then he spat his drink everywhere. Wash burst out laughing and after awhile so did Wyoming and the others. Tucker raised a brow and Wash waited until he stopped laughing to tell him. "I always drank Pepsi a lot back in the project, always had to go pee a lot. Anyway, it came up my nose once and went all over the table. Well, maine was passed out and laying on the table...with his mouth open..."

"OH!" the whole table shouted in unison. Maine fake gagged and Wyoming laughed full-heartedly. Tucker punched Wash lightly in the shoulder.

"That's nasty!" he shouted. And the conversation of funny stories continued. And Tucker changed his mind. Maybe they weren't so bad after all. They were going to have their moments, sure. But they were human and that meant something.


End file.
